Category: 2021

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GeyserLog 3.2

GeyserLog 3.2 is now available on the iOS AppStore.

Lots of changes in this release:

On launch, get the latest eruption for every feature. Also, on upgrade or install, get every eruption for Giant, Giantess, New Crater/Steamboat, and Fan & Mortar since 2017.

Added the option of getting the history for any feature. One month, three months, six months, a year, and since 2017.

Tapping on the location of a feature in the Feature view header will open the Maps app, dropping a pin and focusing in on that location.

Export of GrandWait summary and DetailRecord to a text file accessible through the Files app.

Hiding of notes, comments, and secondary eruptions, allowing the reducing of clutter in longer lists.

Added Recent Users. Can select observer names from list of registered users when submiting an eruption. A list of the most recently used names is kept for reuse.

Added Observations. Many pages now contain a button in the title bar which will save the current time as an Observation. Opening the Observation view shows a list of these, where one can be selected and used to create a eruption or note submission. If so used, the Observation is marked as used. (Although it can be reused.) Observations are also used in the creation of Details (see next section.)

Added Details. Allow the capture of minor non-eruption events at a feature (for example, events with Fan & Mortar vents, or during a Giant Hot Period). Uses Observations to capture time. Each feature keeps a list of the subjects as they are added (for example, Fan vents) for reuse. Second list are the basic event comments. A summary of the details can be made and added as a comment to a GeyserTimes submission, or saved to a text file or the clipboard.

Background updates should work better. Other UI cleanup, crash fixes, and bug fixes.

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2021 Activity of East Sentinel Geyser

Video by H.Koenig

Some typical behavior, and some unusual behavior of East Sentinel during August and September. Chapter markers for—

  • Aug 02
  • Aug 09
  • Aug 16
  • Aug 21
  • Aug 22
  • Aug 23
  • Aug 28 13:28 Post eruption
  • Aug 30 14:30 South rim activity
  • Aug 31 06:53 Post eruption, empty
  • Aug 31 15:20
  • Sep 04 12:44 Post eruption
  • Sep 04 12:51
  • Sep 04 13:03
  • Sep 04 13:17
  • Sep 04 13:31
  • Sep 04 17:43 Minor eruption
  • Sep 04 18:37 Minor eruption
  • Sep 09 Post activity overflow cycle
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Visiting "Sizzling Creek" in 1986

M.A.Bellingham recently came across a photo in which I am "figure". Here's what I remember of that visit, which, after 35 years, may not be accurate.

Blowout pit west of Norris. Photo by R.A.Hutchinson, 1986.

Over the winter in 1986, probably in February, a snowcoach driver reported seeing a huge steamcloud off to the west of Norris. By July, someone had visited the area, and reported that there was at least one new, deep crater there, which had uprooted trees in what appeared to be a non-thermal area.

On 31 Jul 1986, Rick Hutchinson went out to investigate, and I tagged along. He parked at the large turnout in Elk Park, southwest of Norris. We forded the river and headed off to the north. The meadow area was pretty dry, so we didn't need to deal with marshy areas. We then we headed through the trees. Rick pointed out at one point that we were passing through a very old sinter shield area. For some old trees that had fallen over, and the white sinter among the roots was obvious.

As we approached the blowout crater, we went along a creek. For about 50 meters (or more), there were a series of frying pans in the bed of the creek. I don't remember if we were headed upstream or down. The blowout was near the creek.

Rick knew what to expect, as part of the gear he had brought out was a rope for rappelling into the crater so he could take samples of the water and soil and rocks. I told him that I didn't know how to help him if he got in trouble, but he said that there shouldn't be any problem. He also brought a small saw, in order to cut one of the tree trunks that had been snapped off and then count the rings, and get an idea of how long it had been since there had been thermal activity there.

So while Rick was down in the crater, I picked a nice sized tree and cut off the section. We counted 75 rings on a tree that had been alive when the eruption happened. I'm not sure what sort of things Rick collected, but he never needed my assistance while down in the pit.

As for a name, at the time I thought that "Sizzling Creek" would be a nice, bland, almost generic name that still was descriptive of a memorable feature of the area.